Buckinghamshire

Buckinghamshire's population grew in the decade leading up to the most recent census. Data from the census also show there were changes in religion, housing tenure and work life.

The population passed half a million

In the decade leading up to the most recent census, the population of Buckinghamshire increased by 5.5%, from just over 479,000 to 505,000.

The addition of about 26,000 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Buckinghamshire was home to, on average, 5.1 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across the South East

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the South East, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Buckinghamshire

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Buckinghamshire increased by three years, from 38 to 41 years.

This growing rural area had a slightly higher average age than the South East and remained slightly older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of almost 12,000 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by almost 10,000.

About 11% of people in Buckinghamshire are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Buckinghamshire by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Buckinghamshire

The number of people in Buckinghamshire that described themselves as having no religion increased from about 72,000 in 2001 to about 120,000 in 2011. This represents a change from 15% to 24% of the local population.

The percentage increased by less than the average across the South East (from 17% to 28%) and the average across England (from 15% to 25%).

The number of people in Buckinghamshire that described themselves as Christian decreased from just under 350,000 in 2001 to about 310,000 in 2011 (from 73% to 61%). The number of people who did not disclose their religious affiliation increased from just over 33,000 to about 36,000 (from 6.9% to 7.1%).

About 26,000 people (3.6%) said they were Muslim, up from just over 17,000 in 2001 (5.1%).

The population without a religion in Buckinghamshire increased by 8.9 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Buckinghamshire by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Buckinghamshire

The percentage of Buckinghamshire residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability remained close to 7.1% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just over 1 in 40 (2.7%) reported being limited a lot in their day-to-day activities, compared with 2.1% in 2001. The percentage of Buckinghamshire residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 91% to 90%.

The proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 6.8% in 2001 to 6.7% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 6.8% to 6.5%.

The proportion of people who are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability was higher than across the South East

Percentage of usual residents that reported being slightly limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of households in Buckinghamshire that rented privately increased from 7.8% to 13% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

The percentage that lived in social housing remained close to 13%, while the percentage of Buckinghamshire households that owned their home decreased from 76% to 72%.

The proportion of privately rented homes increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 10% in 2001 to 16% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.9% to 17%.

Private renting in Buckinghamshire increased by 5.1 percentage points

Percentage of households in Buckinghamshire, the South East and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in Buckinghamshire working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 16% to 13% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just under 1 in 30 (3.1%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 2.2% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 14% in 2001 to 11% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 13% to 10%.

Long hour working in Buckinghamshire decreased by 3.2 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Buckinghamshire, the South East and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

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